Organic farming fosters agroecosystem functioning in Argentinian temperate soils: Evidence from litter decomposition and soil fauna

Benefits of organic farming on soil fauna have been widely observed and this has led to consider organic farming as a potential approach to reduce the environmental impact of conventional agriculture. However, there is still little evidence from field conditions about direct benefits of organic agriculture on soil ecosystem functioning. Hence, the aims of this study were to compare the effect of organic farming versus conventional farming on litter decomposition and to study how this process is affected by soil meso- and macrofauna abundances. Systems studied were: (1) organic farming with conventional tillage (ORG), (2) conventional farming with conventional tillage (CT), (3) conventional farming under no-tillage (NT), and (4) natural grassland as control system (GR). Decomposition was determined under field conditions by measuring weight loss in litterbags. Soil meso- and macrofauna contribution on decomposition was evaluated both by different mesh sizes and by assessing their abundances in the soil. Litter decomposition was always significantly higher after 9 and 12 months in ORG than in CT and NT (from 2 to 5 times in average), regardless decomposer community composition and litter type. Besides, mesofauna, macrofauna and earthworm abundances were significantly higher in ORG than in NT and CT (from 1.6 to 3.8, 1.7 to 2.3 and 16 to 25 times in average, respectively for each group). These results are especially relevant firstly because the positive effect of ORG in a key soil process has been proved under field conditions, being the first direct evidence that organic farming enhances the decomposition process. And secondly because the extensive organic system analyzed here did not include several practices which have been recognized as particularly positive for soil biota (e.g. manure use, low tillage intensity and high crop diversity). So, this research suggests that even when those practices are not applied, the non-use of agrochemicals is enough to produce positive changes in soil fauna and so in decomposition dynamics. Therefore, the adoption of organic system in an extensive way can also be suggested to farmers in order to improve ecosystem functioning and consequently to achieve better soil conditions for crop production.     

Impact of soil engineering by two contrasting species of earthworms on their dispersal rates

By burrowing galleries and producing casts, earthworms are constantly changing the structure and properties of the soils in which they are living. These changes modify the costs and benefits for earthworms to stay in the environment they modify. In this paper, we measured experimentally how dispersal behaviour of endogeic and anecic earthworms responds to the cumulative changes they made in soil characteristics. The influence of earthworm activities on dispersal was studied in standardised mesocosms by comparing the influence of soils modified or not modified by earthworm activities on earthworm dispersal rates.The cumulative use of the soil by the earthworms strongly modified soil physical properties. The height of the soil decreased over time and the amount of aggregates smaller than 2 mm decreased in contrast to aggregates larger than 5 mm that increased. We found that: (i) earthworm activities significantly modified soil physical properties (such as bulk density, soil strength and soil aggregation) and decreased significantly the dispersal rates of the endogeic species, whatever the species that modified the soil; (ii) the decreasing in the dispersal proportion of the endogeic species suggests that the cost of engineering activities may be higher than the one of dispersal; (iii) the dispersal of the anecic species appeared to be not influenced by its own activities (intra-specific influences) or by the activities of the endogeic species (inter-specific influences). Overall these results suggest that the endogeic species is involved in a process of niche construction, which evolved jointly with its dispersal strategy.     

The Relationship Between Vegetation Characteristics and Altitudes in Transitional Permafrost Zone in Xidatan,Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Many studies showed that permafrost has profound influence on alpine ecosystem. However, former researches were mainly focused on typical points by temporal scales. There were few studies about the correlation between vegetation characteristics and different altitudes covering a large region in spatial pattern, especially in transitional permafrost(TP). There were continuous permafrost(CP) discontinuous permafrost(DCP) and seasonal frozen ground(SFG) in this study region. The types of permafrost changed from SFG to DCP, and finally become CP as the altitudes of Xidatan increase. In this paper, 112 845 points interpreted by HJ1-B(environment and disaster monitoring and prediction small satellite constellation), vegetation investigation points, thawing layer thickness research sites, ground temperature and water content observation plots were used to examine the spatial pattern of vegetation which were located in different altitudes in Xidatan, a typical TP region, in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Vegetation characteristics, soil moisture content(SMC) and thaw depths were collected in 15 August to 25 August2012. Characteristics of vegetation were mainly represented by fractional vegetation cover(FVC) derived from the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI), as well as above ground biomass(AGB). In this paper, we analyzed that the distinction of vegetation characteristics in each range through statistics data. These ranges were divided by varied altitudes. For examples, the ranges were divided into 50 m or 100 m. In this study we use a large area plots method to further discuss the relationship between the features of vegetation and the different regions of permafrost based on altitudes shifts in Xidatan. A diagram described the vegetation characteristics variability with rising altitudes in transitional permafrost region was drawn in this paper. Our results illustrated the FVCs first increased in SFG region and then decreased in DCP zone slowly, and in CP region FVCs soared then dropped dramatically. With the altitudes increased, the curve of FVCs indicated a parabolic distribution except a little difference in the first 200 m range.     

Some Agronomic Strategies for Organic Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

Quinoa is a potential new seed crop for protein feed and human consumption in Europe, with tolerance to a range of abiotic stresses. For this purpose the study was planned to analyse the effect of important agronomic strategies like nitrogen level, N application strategy, row spacing and harvest time on yield and quality of quinoa. The experiments took place in the field of the experimental station of the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen. Three levels of organic nitrogen from slurry was used (60, 120 and 180 kg N ha^?1), supplied either all at once at sowing, or split between sowing and beginning of the reproductive phase. The effect of row spacing and harvest time was studied by harvesting seeds at seed maturity, which occurred 2–3 weeks prior to the mechanical harvest by threshing, and a couple of months after. Yield increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) with an application up to 180 kg N ha^?1, reaching 2200 kg ha^?1. Increasing N also caused a significantly increased seed weight (up to 3.3 mg) and protein content (up to 17 %). N level did not affect number and amount of weeds. Split application with part of the N applied at bud formation did not have a significant effect on yield. Delayed harvest had a negative influence on seed weight, whereas protein content was stable after harvesting even a month after seed maturity. A late harvest significantly reduced seed germination, being reduced by 50 % after a 2‐month delay. A conclusion from this study is that both yield and protein content of seed can be manipulated by N level and application strategy. Harvest time is important for securing a high seed quality measured as seed germination, seed weight and protein content. A fast germination of quinoa is an important characteristic demonstrating that the crop has good possibilities for being well‐established in the field when free from weeds at the time of sowing. The choice of row spacing is important and depends on weed control method. Weed control strategy should be developed based on modern precision tools.     

光质对番茄营养与风味品质的影响

以番茄为试验材料,在田间大棚设施条件下,选用白、蓝、黑、红、绿5种不同颜色的遮阳网,探讨不同光质对番茄营养与风味品质的影响。结果表明,在青熟期,黑色光质促进了总氮、蛋白氮以及非蛋白氮的积累。青熟期到转色期,白色光质的番茄有机酸总量较青熟期增加了4.57倍,蓝色和绿色光质提高了番茄的总糖和还原糖含量。从转色期到成熟期,番茄氨基酸含量大小表现为蓝色>绿色>黑色>红色>白色;黑色光质的番茄有机酸总量较转色期增加了27.8%;红色光质提高了番茄红素含量和Vc含量,降低了硝酸盐含量;白色、红色和绿色光质增加了番茄的总糖和还原糖含量。番茄主要风味物质(>30 μg/kg)为水杨酸甲酯、6-甲基-庚烯-2-酮、柠檬烯、反-2-己烯醛。红光使番茄水杨酸甲酯、6-甲基-庚烯-2-酮和己烯醛含量较白光增加了11.6%、20.2%和17.2%。在大田设施条件下,转色期到成熟期可以采用红色光质提高番茄果实营养品质和风味。     

密度与环境因子对蒙古黄芪育苗影响研究

为了明确育苗时密度与环境因子对蒙古黄芪生长特征影响,本试验以蒙古黄芪为研究对象,通过单因素田间随机区组试验,测定蒙古黄芪株高、茎粗、根粗和根长4个指标。结果表明,密度对蒙古黄芪影响最大,其次是湿度,最后是光照和电导率。密度与蒙古黄芪株高、茎粗、根粗呈现负相关性,与根长呈正相关性(P<0.05),密度为400株/m ²时,株高、茎粗及根粗最大,密度为1000株/m ²时根长最大。     

企业会计信息质量控制策略研究

对于企业来说,会计工作重要且繁杂.面对纷繁复杂的会计工作,会计人员除了要准确的应对各种会计事务,还应该明确企业会计信息质量的重要性.因企业会计信息控制及质量管控不单单是安全方面的因素,也是企业的发展核心及未来竞争中获胜的重要砝码.     

农户过量施用化肥行为的影响因素分析——以新疆棉花种植户为例

过度施用化肥带来的负外部性使棉区土壤面临着棉花增产和保护生态环境的双重挑战。本文在棉花生产的决策主体农户尺度上,利用对新疆重点植棉地区实地问卷调查所得数据,定量化研究了新疆棉农过度施用化肥程度,并通过经济计量模型分析了导致农户过量施用化肥的主要因素。研究结果表明,新疆棉花种植农户的化肥施用量(折纯量)平均达到610.20 kg·hm~(-2),过量施用率占到实际施用量的59.6%。导致农户过量施用化肥的主要因素是缺乏科学施肥培训和避免收入损失的盲目性。研究结果在农户行为学方面做了有益的科学探讨,并为科学引导农户合理施肥提供了科学依据。     

北京地区文献采购中招投标机制探究

招投标作为一种公开、公平、公正和竞争择优的市场交易方式,在当今社会经济活动中扮演着越来越重要的角色。论述了招投标机制的形成,图书馆文献采购中的招投标;研究分析了影响文献采购招投标工作的因素及对策;介绍了北京市评标专家库的建立。     

Short time effects of biological and inter-row subsoiling on yield of potatoes grown on a loamy sand,and on soil penetration resistance,root growth and nitrogen uptake

Soil compaction, especially subsoil compaction, in agricultural fields has increased due to widespread use of heavy machines and intensification of vehicular traffic. Subsoil compaction changes the relative distribution of roots between soil layers and may restrict root development to the upper part of the soil profile, limiting water and mineral availability. This study investigated the direct effects of inter-row subsoiling, biological subsoiling and a combination of these two methods on soil penetration resistance, root length density, nitrogen uptake and yield. In field experiments with potatoes in 2013 and 2014, inter-row subsoiling (subsoiler) and biological subsoiling (preceding crops) were studied as two potential methods to reduce soil penetration resistance. Inter-row subsoiling was carried out post planting and the preceding crops were established one year, or in one case two years, prior to planting. Soil resistance was determined with a penetrometer three weeks after the potatoes were planted and root length density was measured after soil core sampling 2 months after emergence. Nitrogen uptake was determined in haulm (at haulm killing) and tubers (at harvest). Inter-row subsoiling had the greatest effect on soil penetration resistance, whereas biological subsoiling showed no effects. Root length density (RDL) in the combined treatment was higher than in the separate inter-row and biological subsoiling treatments and the control, whereas for the separate inter-row and biological subsoiling treatments, RLD was higher than in the control. Nitrogen uptake increased with inter-row subsoiling and was significantly higher than in the biological subsoiling and control treatments. However, in these experiments with a good supply of nutrients and water, no yield differences between any treatments were observed.